We will Stand

{{this is for the girls in Texas and every other person who has faced hatred- some have lost some have survived.  My heart is heavy but so are my words}}

We will Stand

They will come at you with fire and steel

with sharp edged teeth and claw

with suffocating hate filled smoke

broken glass taped words

to lash out in every manner of fear

they will come

they will come at you with stone and rod

breathing fire and brimstone words

with fingers twisted fist in fall

batter seeking lacerating law

filled with devastation

deviation of truths

stifle, riffle, ruffle and loot

every notion of dream

they will come pitchforked words

in halls of laws and carry their

continence of gods in and effort

to bend our knees

kiss our heads to the ground

BUT

we will stand

WE WILL STAND!

we will meet them with held hands

words edged with pride for who

we are and backs backed

a hundred fold of spirited

heart and girded souls

we will NOT go quietly

we will NOT perish without

our voices being heard

without one more

one more

another more

going down

We will stand

and when one more

is going down

we will step forward

we WILL step forward

and should all of we

turn in to me

I will meet them

all the same.

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Charlie’s smile

He mumbles

when he talks

the

wound of his voice

barely reaches the floor

as he searches for

escapes out

on his way down the hall

in too high jeans

and a belt

anchoring him to self

so he doesn’t slip

out of

place.

His hands grip books

covers and shields

deflecting the

pushes, punches

and wielded words

sharper than edges

of the door way

he often finds

himself greeting

every Monday

and Wednesday

at 8:05.

He is brilliant

in his mental

meanderings

of geometry

calculus

and science

his

mind sees puzzles like

diamonds to be

polished

clear and bright

as the bruises he

hides from the

inevitable trip

to the bathroom

trip

to the bathroom

trip in the bathroom

he just tripped

and

he doesn’t complain

he keeps up appearances

as the soles of his feet

keep account of

the days till

he can stand

straighter

be handsome…er

be

important

because

his mother says

he will be

and right now he

still believes her

even as the waves

of every suck the wind

you don’t get in today

you must be gay

because no girl

would want you

lingers at the gate

of his educational

hell

the bell

is

ringing

in his ears on the way

home and if

he walks a little faster

if he

catches the right

canter, carry and case

the Thursday Crew

won’t give chase

the

Thursday crew won’t

chase

wont

chase…

He just tripped in

the bathroom…

And His eyes are blue

like the ocean

in berm-u-da

so

his mother says

as she asks

him each morning

to keep his

head up

and smile,

the world will smile

back

but…

she doesn’t

know…

today is Monday.

It’s Monday…

and

He”ll just trip

in the bathroom.